Shekhar Pathak

he book by Shekhar Pathak, as described in the introduction by Ramachandra Guha, is considered the definitive history of the chipko movement in India. The chipko movement is seen as the beginning of modern environmentalism in India, and it attracted international attention due to its leadership by Gandhians, participation by women, and use of innovative non-violent protest techniques. The movement led to a major debate on Indian Forest policy and the negative effects of commercialization. show more Thanks to the chipko movement, clear-felling was stopped and India began to pay more attention to ecological balance and sustainability. The movement also fueled a wider debate on sustainable development and whether India should follow the West's resource-intensive and capital-intensive lifestyle. Although chipko's major leaders have been the focus of previous historical accounts, Pathak's book places the movement in its grassroots context, highlighting the voices of ordinary men and women who made the movement what it was. He shows that chipko was a diverse movement that was not singularly Gandhian in ideology or leadership. This book is an important resource for scholars and students of Indian environmentalism, offering empirical richness and analytic solidity. show less

A deeply researched travelog about a difficult trek from Gangotri to Badrinath over the Kalindikhal Pass. The book not only depicts the trek but also gives details about the geography, history, and social elements of the region.